It becomes abundantly clear partway into 8 Mile that this is a
familiar story wrapped up in a torrent of cursing and the world of rap.
That doesn't mean this is a bad thing. The story is the same rise to stardom
story that people absolutely love watching. Recent examples include Coyote
Ugly, which was a guilty pleasure, and Glitter,
which was a piece of junk. 8 Mile has the added bonus of being
based loosely on the life of its star, controversial rapper Eminem. The
funny thing about Eminem is how he manages to rile up so many people,
who don't realize that controversy just makes him more popular. There
is really nothing exceptionally controversial about his lyrics. Yes, they
may be profane, misogynistic, and homophobic, but there are plenty of
other artists out there just like him. However, few have his ability for
insightful commentary, morbid comedy, and lyrical prowess. He appeared
briefly in The Wash, but this is his first
outing as an actor. Not only that, he is also the headlining actor.

The reason he succeeds masterfully is that it is not a large stretch
for him. 8 Mile tells the story of a young white kid growing up
in a poor section of Detroit, rapping his way through a mostly black community.
He doesn't really get along with his mother (Kim Basinger, Bless
the Child, I Dreamed of
Africa). Sounds a lot like one of his songs. Anyway, he's instantly
familiar with the material, and for the most part, his character is an
angry young man. Plus, he has the gifted director Curtis Hanson (Wonder
Boys, LA Confidential) looking over his shoulder and guiding
him. Hanson has a great gift for directing actors, and he is surely one
of the reasons Eminem comes across so well. Scott Silver's (The Mod
Squad, Johns) is fairly mundane. There is only one way this
story can go, and everybody knows where it's going.

At the beginning of 8 Mile, Jimmy Smith Jr. aka Bunny Rabbit (Eminem)
chokes badly at a rap contest. He doesn't even get a rhyme out. The crowd
laughs him off stage. He broke up with his newly pregnant girlfriend and
needs to move back in with his mom in a trailer park. The only job he
can find is at a steel plant. Basically, his life sucks, and he realizes
this. So there's nowhere to go but up. He dreams of making it big in the
music business with his friends and he has real talent, but he needs to
somehow overcome his fear. Can he do it? What fuels Rabbit and the story
is rage. Everything that happens to him makes him mad, and he funnels
this into his raps. His attacks are (mostly) verbal, deftly insulting
his opponent in all possible ways. He finds kindred spirits in Future
(Mekhi Phifer, Paid in Full, Impostor),
his friend who emcees the rap battles, recognizes Rabbit's talents, and
presses him to keep rapping, and Alex (Brittany Murphy, Riding
in Cars with Boys, Don't Say
a Word), an aspiring model who also wants to leave.

Still, Eminem is in nearly every shot of the movie and he is mesmerizing
to watch. In a way, it helps that the material is familiar on two counts;
the story is almost cliche and for the most part the public knows Eminem's
persona. The Detroit setting is new, and Hanson favors a handheld camera
for a more intimate feel. Everything is dark and in muted colors, and
Rabbit and friends wander around crumbling buildings and lower class everything.
Everything fits well together, and 8 Mile is a lot of fun for something
so dark and moody. In the end, it relies on the story itself, which retains
its inherent ebullientness despite being cloaked in dirt. Yes, it's familiar,
but well done, so it is actually a lot of fun. And although the outcome
of the final rap battle is blatantly obvious, but watching it still evokes
feelings of excitement and suspense.